- Taiwanese large-sized TFT LCD (Thin-Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) panel shipment volume grew 72% year on year to reach approximately 11.2 million units in the fourth quarter of 200, despite a continued shortage in key components. Shipments for notebook PC and LCD monitor applications saw the highest volume growth, each climbing by about 30% sequentially. The bulk of shipments continued to be concentrated around 14.1", 15", and 17" sizes, which accounted for roughly 89% of total volume.
LCD monitor and notebook PC applications aggregately comprised over 94% of Taiwanese large size LCD panel shipments in the fourth quarter of 2003; LCD TV accounted for approximately 5%. 15" and 17" sizes held the bulk of LCD monitor panel shipments, with volume of 17" panels growing the most rapidly. 14.1" and 15" sizes comprised 98% of notebook PC application shipments. 20.1" and 30" panels held 68% of LCD TV panel volume.
Due to the global panel shortage and a sequential increase in the share of LCD TV panels, Taiwanese large size LCD panel ASP (Average Selling Price) increased 16% in the fourth quarter to US$237. Urged on by the rise in prices, shipment value saw a dramatic sequential gain of 35% to reach nearly US$2.7 billion.
In the first quarter of 2004 Taiwanese large size LCD panel volume is expected to continue growing due to improved 5G line yield rates and expanded production capacity. However, the fate of the LCD monitor and notebook PC panel shipments that comprise over 94% of Taiwanese volume is highly linked to PC industry performance. Seasonal factors and are thus expected to impact the growth rates of both shipment volume and value in the first quarter of 2004.